Champ mare One for Rose faces males

ETOBICOKE, Ontario - One for Rose, the champion older female in Canada the past two years, will tackle the boys in Saturday's Grade 3, $161,100 Seagram Cup Stakes at Woodbine.

In one of the better performances of her career, One for Rose won last year's Seagram Cup by five lengths. She has made three starts this year, the first of which was a second to Nashinda in the 6 1/2-furlong Hendrie Handicap.

One for Rose moved out to a more suitable distance June 18, in

the 1 1/16-mile Ontario Matron Handicap, and won by a head over longshot Ballroom Deputy. Most recently, in the Grade 2 Molly Pitcher BC Handicap at Monmouth, she faded to fifth after stalking the leaders to the far turn.

Trainer Sid Attard said One for Rose disliked the muddy track in the Molly Pitcher, which was the first time she failed to earn a top-four placing in 23 dirt starts.

"She doesn't like the mud," Attard said. "It was a funny type of mud there, and they went in 1:41.40. The track was fast by the seventh race, but then it rained for 20 minutes. If it was a fast track, I think she would have gotten third money."

Cuba, based in New York with trainer Tom Bush, figures to be strongly backed because of his big edge in terms of Beyer Speed Figures. He shipped here in May to run in the Grade 2 Eclipse Handicap, and lost by only a neck to the victorious Honolua Storm.

Last out on June 11, in the Grade 2 Brooklyn Handicap at Belmont, Cuba finished a commendable third behind Limehouse and Gygistar, earning a career-best 106 Beyer.

Wake at Noon and Honolua Storm could hook up on the lead in the 1 1/16-mile Seagram Cup.

Wake at Noon, Canada's Horse of the Year in 2002, won the 2003 running of the Seagram Cup. He has won just once in eight outings this year, and was recently freshened up for this engagement, according to trainer Abraham Katryan.

"He's an old boy, and I wanted to give him a little time in between races, so he can peak again," Katryan said. "I figured this would be the perfect way to go a mile and a sixteenth with him. He's been working pretty good."

Honolua Storm had everything his own way on the lead when he won the 1 1/16-mile Eclipse at 36-1. He has since finished fifth twice, in allowance and optional-claiming company.